Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawaad appeals not to vote for Congress

New Delhi: A few days after Shahi Imam of Delhi`s Jama Masjid openly endorsed the Congress, Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawaad on Monday appealed to his community not to vote for the grand old party.

Annoyed with the Congress for treating Muslims as a mere vote bank, Kalbe said that the party had done nothing for his community. He also said that they had been exploiting the Muslims for its personal gains.

He further added that the party had become arrogant and considered Muslims as its servants and that there were more riots in the Congress regime than any other party.

Earlier, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari had appealed to the Muslim community to vote for Congress after meeting party chief Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence.

However, his endorsing Congress did not go well with the BJP. The party has now lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against Bukhari`s statement.

Meanwhile, defending his support to the Congress, Bukhari said, “Under the Indian Constitution there is no rule that a religious head can`t have an opinion and express it.”